Stafford, Va. – In its continuing efforts to keep the community safe from acts of violence and terrorist threats, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is seeking vigilant citizens who are interested in playing an active role in homeland security. Selected individuals will be invited to attend a new Citizens Homeland Security Course on Saturday, September 15, 2018, that will teach them how to spot and report suspicious activity. The training will also educate them about current threats facing the nation.

“We are proud of the aggressive approach we have taken toward homeland security over the past several years,” said Stafford Sheriff David Decatur. “But this course represents a significant shift in our tactics because we are not just focusing internally; we are reaching out to train our citizens to become more vigilant and engaged in homeland security. Our goal is to teach them that if they see something, they should say something immediately to the Sheriff’s Office. They will play an active role in collecting intelligence for us and partnering with us to monitor terrorist activity and stop attacks before they happen.”

Applications for the Citizens Homeland Security Course are due by September 7, 2018. Registration is free. For additional information and/or to be considered for the class, please contact Sgt. Jason Forman at (540) 658-4934 or at JForman@staffordcountyva.gov.

Once citizens complete a class, they will become a part of the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office SHIELD program, a two-way information sharing program that provides information to citizens on emerging crime trends, community events and evolving terrorist threats that may impact Stafford County. Community partners will serve as the eyes and ears of the Sheriff’s Office by reporting suspicious behavior as soon as possible and working to directly impact efforts to prevent crime and acts of terrorism in Stafford.

Stafford’s location just south of Washington, D.C. and its proximity to major military installations such as the Pentagon, Quantico Marine Corps Base, Fort Belvoir and Fort A.P. Hill have made the county a potential target for a terrorist attack. The significant presence of military and government facilities and employees (and their families), critical infrastructure, and special events that draw people from all over the world also pose a significant challenge to Stafford’s public safety authorities. In addition, the county’s history of natural disasters and extreme weather including tornados, earthquakes and blizzards, increase these safety risks.

The Sheriff’s Office has a Homeland Security and Emergency Management Unit that educates the public about recognizing and reporting suspicious activity and teaches citizens how to respond during acts of violence or terrorism. In addition to the Citizens Homeland Security Course being offered in September, future classes are planned on the following topics:

-Suspicious Activity and Reporting: Trains individuals on what suspicious activity is and how to properly report it.

-STOP the BLEED: Trains individuals on how to stop bleeding after an injury and how to properly apply tourniquets in emergency situations.

-Active Shooter/Acts of Violence Training: Teaches individuals on how to respond to active shooter/acts of violence situations focusing on building survival mindsets and teaching tactics such as Run, Hide, Fight.

-Prevention and Deterrence of Terror and Criminal Acts: Teaches individuals what they can do to help keep Stafford safe from current threats that face the region and nation as a whole.